Angels’ Vargas shuts down red-hot A’s

Offensively, the A’s have shown no mercy of lately, putting up big numbers, and big homers, for almost a week.

On Tuesday at Angel Stadium, the hitting took a time out. The Angels topped Oakland 3-0, the first time in six games the AL West champions have scored fewer than eight runs. Oakland’s five-game winning streak came to an end, and the A’s magic number for claiming home-field advantage in the Division Series remained at two with Detroit’s win over the Twins.

It was the first time Oakland has been shut out since Aug. 4. The A’s had hit at least two homers in each of their previous six games, tying the Oakland record.

“Tonight was maybe a second-day-after-clinching hangover,” catcher Derek Norris said of Oakland’s uncharacteristic off night two days after claiming the West. “Last night, everyone still had all the adrenaline. … I’d rather get that (shutout) out of the way now and come back tomorrow and take the series.”

Angels starter Jason Vargas was terrific in throwing his fifth career shutout, allowing only four hits and facing just two over the minimum, thanks to two double-play balls.

“To throw nine innings against a team that’s been swinging the bat really well of late, he did pitch well,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said.

Vargas walked one, struck out five, and he did not allow a man past first base.

Alberto Callaspo tried – when he knocked a hit to left center in the eighth, he sprinted for second, but Josh Hamilton threw him out.

“I think he just thought he could make it,” Melvin said. “He’s not going to take a chance there if he didn’t think he could make it. It just didn’t end up being the right decision.”

Josh Donaldson’s streak of reaching base safely in 28 consecutive games came to an end; he went 0-for-4 against Vargas.

Oakland starter A.J. Griffin, who is expected to be part of the postseason rotation, allowed his major-league leading 36th home run, a solo homer by Howie Kendrick in the first inning, Kendrick’s second homer in as many games. Griffin has given up 25 solo homers, one shy of the Oakland record by Catfish Hunter in 1973.

The Angels also scored twice with two outs in the third inning on a bases-loaded single by Hamilton. Hamilton is 6 for 15 lifetime vs. Griffin.

“He didn’t pitch bad,” Melvin said. “He gave up one homer and one bloop hit that scores two.”

Melvin said that the high home-run total isn’t a concern when it comes to a potential spot in the postseason rotation. “I don’t think that really plays into it,” he said. “He gives up some home runs, I’ve been around a lot of pitchers who give up some home runs. He gives up solo jobs but his ERA is still pretty manageable for what he’s done. If he gives up doubles that are driving in runs or solo homers, I don’t think it makes a difference.”

Griffin, asked about the possibility of pitching in the postseason rotation, said, “You don’t really get to choose when you pitch. Just being able to start a major-league baseball game is a blessing and I just want to start as many of them as I can and as long as I can.”

Griffin finishes the regular season 14-10 with a 3.83 ERA, plus a team-high 200 innings pitched. “To get there is pretty satisfying,” Griffin said of the 200-inning mark.

Jerry Blevins threw two scoreless innings in relief, striking out two, and Melvin said he’d only planned to use him for one inning, but his pitch count was so low (he finished with 20), he left him in. Blevins’ command was as good as Melvin has seen it in awhile, he said.

The A’s remain one game behind Boston for the top record in the league.